Here's To The Future
by Persephone-Winter
Summary: It's been nearly two months since the fall of the Institute but Alice can't seem to find peace. One night of passion could have an everlasting effect on her life. F!SS/A. Maxson.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes:

So, this is my first story ever. I write a lot for work. By writing, I mean I write factual reports in chronological order. It's usually pretty dry and boring. I'm trying to write more as a hobby and I think this will be a good outlet. Let me know what you think. J Without further ado...

Chapter 1

The sting of dust and airborne debris stung her eyes as she pushed the heavy glass door open. The entire city had a distinct odor of decay and death, but the smell of must and 200-year-old mold was almost overwhelming. Alice stifled a choke and shifted her bandana over her nose as she entered the ruined building.

She was there for a purpose: she needed to find answers to some very personal questions. The last seven months had been daunting to her. Her world was destroyed, she was lied to by Vault-Tec and her husband murdered before her very eyes, and she destroyed her only child and the last piece of the world she'd left behind with the help of the Minutemen and the Brotherhood of Steel.

The room she had entered looked like it hadn't been entered in over 50 years. The light lazily peered through the boarded up windows and intact glass, illuminating the remains of what was once a corner drug store. Shelves were toppled onto the floor with ruined cosmetic products scattered around. Alice treaded towards the back of the structure to the pharmacy in search of what she came for.

'How the heck has this place lasted this long without scavvers?' she thought to herself, noticing the plentiful stocks of supplies left in the room. She carefully watched her footing, on the lookout for any traps that could've been left. She had some slight difficulty stepping over a particular shelf lying across the aisle. She was an extremely petite woman, barely 5' in height.

After some difficulty, she made her way back to the pharmacy. She let out a huge sigh of relief seeing what she had come for: a pregnancy test. She chuckled to herself, remembering the last time she had any use for such an object. It was only two years ago to her, but it felt like a lifetime ago. She remembered feeling the embarrassment purchasing the test and the judgmental eyes of the elderly clerk checking her out.

She was a young bride of 22 when she married Nate, with him being nearly 8 years her senior. They met when she was in college and he was on leave with the military. It seemed he spent most of his time courting her when not on tactical missions and training. Finally, it seemed he'd cracked through her introverted shell and she succumbed to his goofy, lovable personality. They had a short engagement and a fast wedding, eloping before Nate was to leave for Alaska. It was while he was gone, she found out she was pregnant with Shaun.

She took a deep breath, clutching the test to her chest with one hand and running her free hand through her hair. These next few days are going to be tough. She had a feeling she was pregnant again, but needed the evidence herself. She had been driving herself crazy with the 'what ifs' and needed this closure. She looked around, glancing at the pre-war medicines and supplies. 'Well, might as well scavenge while I'm here'.

Alice, not knowing a whole lot about medicines, grabbed some bottles and syringes and put them in her pack. She tightened the pack around her shoulders and turned towards the door, hoping the walk back would be a little easier.

It was starting to get warm in the room, with May coming to an end and the Boston summer coming into full swing. She desperately missed the feeling of air conditioning on her skin. It seemed that was a luxury lost by time and the destruction of the Institute.

Alice exited the ruined store, making sure she was alone, and started walking towards the harbor to the east. The Brotherhood of Steel's dirigible was still parked at the airport. She was still in awe of the Prydwen and the idea that something that grand could be manufactured after the world ended. She was equally impressed by the man who commanded the crew as well, garnishing a slight blush just thinking about him.

She recalled the night the Institute fell, almost six weeks ago. Maxson had promoted her to Sentinel and had thrown a huge celebration at the airport. Alice was not particularly fond of large gatherings, especially gatherings that involved her being in the spotlight. After a few drinks with her comrades, she had snuck off and made her way back to the Prydwen to process her thoughts.

She had wound up on the forecastle balcony, taking in the crisp spring air and enjoying the solitude. She hadn't realized, though, that she had been followed to the ship, and she gave a startled jump when his rich voice spoke her name.

"Alice... What are you doing up here by yourself?" Maxson asked, with a playful gleam in his eye. It was odd seeing him in such high spirits and almost seemed completely out of character.

"Umm… Well..." she said stuttered "I don't really go to parties-even if they are meant for me."

"That's a shame" he stated, giving her a sidelong glance, resting his elbows on the railing next to her and looking off into the distance at the ruined city. "You made the right decision, I hope you know that. Those people out there have a fighting chance now because of you."

"Yeah..." she said passively. She really didn't want to talk about the night with him right now. After all, no matter how 'right her decision' they were celebrating the murder of her son.

They stood there in silence for a few moments before she let out a shiver. He took notice of her flushed cheeks and began taking off his jacket. "It looks like you need this more than I do right now" he said with a genuine smile. She couldn't help but take note of how his face looked at that moment. She didn't think she'd ever seen him smile like this before.

Maxson placed the jacket over her shoulders and let his hands linger. She could feel the warmth of his body within the proximity of hers, and the tangy musk of gear oil, whiskey, and sandalwood emanated from his jacket. She didn't know if it was the alcohol or her turbulent emotions pertaining to their last mission, but she felt butterflies in her abdomen around him. It didn't help that she'd been crushing on him since she'd met him with Paladin Danse.

He returned to her side with a boyish smirk on his face, still staring out onto the ruined cityscape. "What was it like before the bombs?" he asked, innocently enough.

"Well, the city used to be an absolute marvel, with-" She began. "No.. Not what the city was like. What were you like before the bombs" he interrupted.

"Ah... Well, I've always been, um, 'quirky'. I spent most of my adult life in school before I was married. It all seems kind of pointless now. Not a whole lot of use for a defense attorney now, hey? Even less so, a mid-century housewife" she said. He seemed to be listening intently.

After a long pause she stated, "I've had to be somebody I never thought I could be, though."

He chuckled lightly at that sentiment and turned towards her. "You know, when I first got Danse's report about you, I thought he was absolutely mad recruiting a 'pre-war housewife'. Now that I've met you and have worked alongside you, I'm extremely happy he took a chance on you. You are the real deal."

She blushed deeply and smiled, "Thank you for that, Elder Maxson."

He tucked a lock of copper hair behind her right ear and her face and neck grew redder. "My, you really are a blusher, aren't you?" he smirked. "Call me Arthur. I don't like being so formal when I'm trying to have a personal conversation" he winked.

Alice clutched his jacket tighter to her shoulders, hoping she could somehow sink into it and disappear. She was a terrible flirt. She still had no idea how she landed a guy like Nate over 200 years ago and she couldn't believe that Maxson was even giving her the time of day.

They stood in silence, enjoying each other's company and stayed that way for a while. Arthur Maxson can only be away from his duties for so long before somebody comes looking for him. That somebody came in the form of Lancer Captain Kells coming to retrieve the Elder for one final debriefing. Maxson excused himself before she could give him back his jacket.

Alice continued to stand on the deck and contemplated the events leading up to the evening. She finally had closure for Nate and Shaun. She could finally close this chapter of her life and begin rebuilding amidst the ruins. She was finally free from the past. It was almost as if a 1,000lb weight had been lifted off her shoulders and she could float away.

Glancing at her Pip-Boy, Alice noticed how late it was getting. 'Ugh... I should probably swing by Maxson's quarters and drop off his jacket before I turn in' she thought. She made her way through the vessel to his quarters, stopping at the door to knock lightly. She heard a gruff "Enter" before slowly opening the door.

He was at his desk reading a file on his computer, with his back turned to her. The only lights in the room were the glow of the monitor and a small lamp by his bed. The black flight suit he wore looked like it was painted onto his muscular frame.

"Oh! I can come back later if it's too late, Elder Maxson" Alice squeaked, getting ready to turn around and scurry away.

"No, no! You're pleasant company for me right now, Alice... And please, call me Arthur" he got up and turned towards her.

"I came to return this" she told him, holding the jacket out. "I didn't feel right holding on to it longer than the night."

"I appreciate it. Thank you, Alice" he smiled, closing the distance between them. He took the jacket from her and tossed it onto his desk chair. "I'm really happy to see you again tonight." He stood in front of her, his massive frame dwarfing her petite one.

"Would you care for a drink?" he asked. "I have the best scotch in probably the entire Commonwealth."

"Sure! I haven't had scotch in years." He turned around to his desk and poured two glasses, handing her one. She took a sip of the smoky drink and savored the smooth flavor. She missed this.

He took a larger sip of the amber liquid and sat on the edge of his desk, taking in her image. Alice was short, with an athletic build, adorned with black leather armor. Her shaggy, red hair was down and framed her heart shaped face elegantly. She had delicate facial features and porcelain skin-something that was a novelty in the post-war world. Her most striking feature was her ocean blue eyes that seemed to sparkle in the low light of the room.

Maxson couldn't tell if it was her proximity or the alcohol, but he felt completely intoxicated. She seemed to notice his staring and shifted uncomfortably from one leg to the other, taking a larger, braver sip of the whiskey.

He took one last swig of whiskey, stood up and walked over to her. "I think I should get going and let you get some rest" she started, awkwardly.

"No. I think you should stay right here with me" he held her face between his hands. She froze, bringing her free hand up to his. Before she could process what was happening, his lips were softly on hers. She closed her eyes and just melted into the kiss. Feeling her relax into him, he deepened the kiss, enjoying the taste of scotch on her lips. He had wanted to kiss her for months now and he was finally doing it.

As their kissing became more fervent, he cautiously placed his hands on the small of her back, pulling her body against his. She let out a slight gasp into his lips when she felt his manhood pressed against her hip. She had fantasized about this since their meeting back in November and it was finally happening.

He broke away from her, out of breath and leaned down to her ear "If you want to leave tonight, now is your chance. I'm not going to hold it against you… But, if you stay, I can promise you won't regret it."

Well, she did stay and they did make love. She wiped the sweat from her brow in the sun, replaying that line over and over in her head. 'Yeah... I won't regret it' she whined sarcastically in her head. These last few weeks have been extremely awkward, with her going out of her way to avoid Maxson. 'God… how the hell am I going to explain this to him?!'

She had reached the entrance of the airport and boarded a Vertibird to the Prydwen. She honestly couldn't wait to have a hot shower and a cool glass of water. But first, she had a test to take.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note:

Thank you, all, for reading! I'm in the process of a move (just bought my first house)! Between ripping down 500000 layers of wallpaper and tearing up the nastiest carpet ever (at least it has those gorgeous hardwood floors) I'm really looking forward to writing! Plus, work is love and stress. Swing shifts are my religion. Please enjoy and thank you again! J

Chapter 2

Alice exited the vertibird with a thunk on the catwalk, her hair whipping wildly around her. She still couldn't get over how crazy high the Prydwen was above the ground. She still felt a tinge of vertigo looking down at the ground, and her stomach lurched as a reaction.

Between the dizzying affect of her fear of heights, the anxiety building up for the last two weeks, and the looming nausea that has plagued her, she was a wreck. It didn't help that as soon as she reached the entrance of the Prydwen proper she was approached by a young squire and told to meet with the Elder she had been avoiding. Her face visibly paled. 'This is going to be great' she thought sarcastically.

Alice entered the command deck where Maxson was waiting. He was staring quietly out the window by the railing holding a half smoked stogie, seemingly deep in thought. The room smelled sweetly of tobacco and reminded her of her grandfather, before the bombs fell. She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, not knowing how she should address him. The longer they went without speaking, the more anxious she became. Finally, she broke the silence.

"Good morning, Elder Maxson. You summoned me?" She asked, quietly. The spell seemed to be broken and he turned to face her without making eye contact. He ashed his cigar in a small black ashtray on a table next to him and let out a soft sigh.

"I think we need to have a chat about what's going on and clear the air between us," he stated, finally making eye contact with her, intense cobalt eyes locking with her turbulent sea eyes. He ran his free hand through his hair, taking another drag on his cigar. She could tell he was just as uncomfortable as she was.

"I don't want you to feel uncomfortable working with me, Alice. I value you as a soldier and a friend. If you want to forget what happened between us the night the Institute fell, just tell me," he went on. 'If only it were that easy' she thought, internally laughing to herself.

"No! I'm, well, not uncomfortable…" she stated awkwardly, and definitely not convincingly. "I've just been through a lot. You know? Between the bombs, being a widow, and the death of my son. I've just… Uh… Had a lot on my mind" she trailed off. For being a lawyer, she was a terrible liar. She could see him taking in what she said and reading between the lines. 'God, he's just like Nate,' she thought.

"I see," he stated simply. "I have to ask, then, why it seems you have gone completely out of your way to avoid me. You've skipped important mission briefings, opting for messages on you Pip-Boy. You've also said barely five words to me in weeks." His features softened and his eyes tinged with worry. "I miss talking to you, Alice."

She honestly did, too. She recalled the late nights they'd spend on the foredeck preceding the fall of the Institute talking about life before the war, politics, art, law, and everything in between. He was one of the most fascinating people she had ever met, both pre and post war. He was also one of the few people that she had opened up to since she woke up. She could tell he was legitimately worried he had screwed things up between them.

She didn't realize it, but she had been closing the distance between them. She wanted to comfort him and tell him everything that was wrong, but couldn't find the words. Alice stood next to him, his form dwarfing hers, and placed a hand on his.

"I really miss talking with you, too, Arthur" she said, quietly. "I'm not trying to avoid you. I just needed some space to sort out my feelings." She smiled up at him sweetly. He returned the smile and rubbed his calloused thumb across her soft hand.

"I don't want you to think you can't come to me if you have any problems-even if I'm that problem," he said softly. Arthur set the cigar down on the ashtray and held both of her hands. "You are very dear to me, Alice."

Her heart fluttered in her chest as he spoke these words and her face slightly flushed. "You are to me, too," she said. 'And more than you know' she added in her mind.

He brought her close, snaking his hands around the small of her back, kissing her forehead and resting his chin on the top of her head. His beard hairs scratched her scalp as they stood there. Her hands had found themselves under his jacket, taking in the warmth of his body. They stayed like that for a few minutes before breaking apart.

He looked down at her with a slight smile "I have a meeting with an envoy from the Capitol Wasteland in a few minutes. Would you care to join me for dinner in my quarters later this evening?"

"I think I can manage that," she smiled back. Hopefully, once she got back to her quarters, she could put to rest any possible pregnancy anxiety once and for all. The thought still made her queasy. 'If only he knew what was in my backpack' she thought. He gave her a chaste kiss on the forehead again.

"Good… I look forward to seeing you, then," he said with a wink, and let her go. She walked back towards the entrance to the deck, to the ladder leading up to the belly of the ship. She gave him another smile and made her way up to the main deck.

Finally putting some distance between herself and Maxson, she started chewing her lip nervously, thinking about how the evening was going to go. 'Awww crap… I don't think I'm getting out of this very easily' she thought. She went back to her room and shut the door tightly behind her. She sat down on her bed and tore through her pack, retrieving the pregnancy test, still sealed in its prewar packaging.

Alice rubbed her face with both hands and inhaled deeply. It was now or never. She snuck the test into a pouch on her Sam Browne belt and slipped out of her room, heading towards the women's latrine. She was relieved to find she was the only one in the room and locked herself into a stall. She sat down and her hands shook slightly as she carefully unwrapped the test, inspecting it for any decay or damage. Feeling satisfied with the exterior of the test, she used it.

The next three minutes were agonizing. She didn't dare look at the test, fearing getting her hopes up to be let down by a false negative. She honestly didn't know what she was going to do if the text came back positive. She guessed she could run away with a caravan or change her name and live in Diamond City. It didn't sound like the Brotherhood was going to be in town a whole lot longer, so it could be easy enough to sneak out and quietly live her life. She couldn't imagine a young, ambitious, and attractive man like Maxson wanting to settle for her. Lightning wasn't going to strike twice for her, she feared, and she shut her eyes tightly and let out a sigh at the thought.

When she reopened her eyes, they were fixed on the innocent piece of plastic gripped in her right hand. What she saw made her stomach drop.

"Awww, shit", she muttered.


End file.
